( On break ) Clean Sheet // Yassine Bounou aka Bono [ English Version ]

Chapter 4

Monday, August 23rd, 2021

Coliseum Alfonso Pérez Stadium, 17:21

- Are you good, is everything ok ? I asked the keeper who is soon preparing to enter the field with the team

- Yes yes I'm ready, he replied, readjusting the scratches of his gloves

- If you do like what we did during the 5 sessions together, there's no reason for you to screw up, I told him

- Funny way to encourage me, the player laughed, but thank you I appreciate it, he went to stand in single file behind the team captain Jesus Navas

- Yassine, I put my two hands on his upper arms, I'm counting on you, my future depends on it ! I reminded him of the importance of victory for the club if I don't want to be fired

- Don't worry Gardiolita, he reassured me with one of the nicknames he had given me during this first week, I will let no goal pass. We have a party after this game and I want to spend it winning.

- Don't worry Imane, we have a wall, intervened En-nesyri, who I met recently, we're going to win this match and you won't get fired, now go sit on the bench, it's going to start soon, joked bluntly the attacker encouraging me to go on the bench

Today is the second day of La Liga for the Sevillian club and my first match as a coach. Our opponent of the day is the Madrid club Getafe whose stadium is the playground for this meeting. Suffice to say that my teaching during my first week must imperatively prove itself if I want to last in the club.

The players come out of the tunnel with the children who hold their hands and line up in front of the benches. The Sevillian line advances towards their rivals and then graps them one by one to go to the field while the captains do the toss and determine who will engage.

The whistle finally sounds which makes me realize that I am still standing at the edge of the field. I finally decide to go and sit between Marko and Rakitić so as not to disturb more than I have already done.

Surprisingly, the match is quite flat and each of the two teams has very few chances. Apart from a shot from us and a try from Getafe in the first half, the game is quite...empty.

In the second period, Yassine made a magnificent save after the Madrid striker's attempt which allowed us to keep this score from nil nil. A second intervention by the opposing goalkeeper in the 71st minute prevented the team from passing them and a goal whistled offside later by Youssef.

The score seemed to be heading for a draw when added time was reached; but this did not seem to be the opinion of Éric Lamela, our shock winger. Youssef sends a deep pass to Rafa Mir whose ball hits the post of the goal cage. Lamela takes it back and then shakes the nets at the end of the suspense. We all jump for joy and I celebrate the goal with the Serbian goalkeeper and Marcos Acuña who had been replaced during the match.

The final whistle sounds, which means we've won the three points. Everyone shakes hands on the field before our team quickly returns to the cooler locker rooms to escape the sweltering summer heat. Everyone congratulates and is happy with this victory in extremis.

I decide to go see my goalkeeper by entering the locker room. It's weird but I feel like I shouldn't be here, probably because this room is full of testosterone and scantily clad guys for some. I sit in the empty place next to the Moroccan who takes off his shoes.